The UK paper The Daily Telegraph withdrew an article recently published on its online version on national anthems, among which an appreciation "offending" the national Algerian anthem.

"We are sorry to those of you who were offended by the article about national anthems, it was simply intended as a humourous piece but as a gesture of goodwill we have removed it (from the paper online version)," said the paper on its Facebook page.

The article in question grants points to national anthems for 205 participating countries in the London 2012 Olympic Games and made an assessment about their quality.

The London-based paper ranked "Qassaman" among the national anthems which "are the most aggressive notably regarding colonial France." After the publication of the article in question, Algeria had "strongly protested" to the managing director of Daily Telegraph.

“Reacting to the article published on July 26th on the online version of the Daily Telegraph that offended the symbols of the Algerian State, especially its anthem, Algerian Embassy in London strongly protested to the Managing Editor, accompanied by a statement to be published in this newspaper,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman said.

“A step will be made to the competent authorities to draw their attention to the contents of this article that violates the spirit and the Olympic ideals, offends the long suffering of the Algerian people to regain independence and the dignity of a sovereign nation, offending its national anthem which is a mark of the glorious Revolution of November 1st, 1954,” he added.